iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: What’s the Difference?

Kenneth Kimari

6 months ago

The iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X are the newest members of the iPhone family and all come with some of the top-end features you’d expect in a premium product. The iPhone 8 and its bigger brother, iPhone 8 Plus, are quite similar to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, but iPhone X (pronounced iPhone 10) takes a totally different path.

If you are considering upgrading your iPhone, you might be wondering which one of these models suits you best. In this post we will highlight the key differences between iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Size

The iPhone X and iPhone 8 do not differ much in size and are considerably smaller than the Plus models. Here are the dimensions of both handsets.

The iPhone 8 measures 138.4mm x 67.3mm and is 7.3mm thick.

The iPhone X measures 143.6mm x 70.9mm and is 7.7mm thick.

As you can see, the iPhone 8 is just a bit thinner and smaller than iPhone X. However, the difference is much greater when it comes to weight. While the iPhone 8 weighs 148 grams, the iPhone X weighs 174g – a difference of 26 grams. Though both devices may seem almost identical in size and weight, the difference is more noticeable on the size of their screens. While the iPhone 8 features a 4.7″ Retina display, the iPhone X comes with a 5.8-inch all-screen Super Retina display.

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Design

The biggest difference between iPhone X and iPhone 8 is perhaps in the industrial design. While the iPhone 8 carries most of the design elements of the previous models, Apple radically changed the design of the iPhone X to something entirely new. For instance, it lacks the home button, and the screen stretches right to the edges.

The front part of the iPhone X is all screen, and the trade-off for the big screen is the demise of the home button. There is a cutout at the top that creates a large “notch” for Face ID. This houses the front-facing camera and has a myriad of sensors.

Both phones share several design similarities. They both feature glass backs that provide room for wireless charging, are IP67 water- and dust-resistant, and the chassis are constructed with rigid Series 7000 Aluminum. Both devices also have volume buttons on the left edge, power buttons at the right edge, a lightning port at the bottom and neither has a headphone jack.

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Face ID / Touch ID

The demise of the home button in iPhone X has necessitated other changes. Touch ID – Apple’s fingerprint recognition system for securing your phone – has been replaced with Face ID. With Face ID you can unlock your phone by just looking at it. The iPhone X uses the Bionic chip and a combination of sensors housed at the notch to accurately map your face in 3D which makes it reliable as it can’t be fooled by masks or photographs of you (according to Apple).

As for the iPhone 8, it lacks the Face ID feature but retains the Touch ID. The iPhone 8 employs Touch ID for secure authentication which requires your fingerprint for unlocking the device as well as authenticating Apple Pay payments. Whether iPhone X’s Touch ID will rule over Touch ID, only time will tell.

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Display

The iPhone 8 comes with a 4.7″ LED-backlit Retina Display with a resolution of 1334 x 750 and a pixel density of 326ppi. As for the iPhone X, Apple decided to set a new record for display resolution in the iPhone history. It packs a 5.8-inch true tone OLED Super Retina screen with a display resolution of 2436 x 1125 which results in a pixel density of 458ppi. The OLED display also delivers a mind-blowing contrast ratio of 1:1,000,000.

Both models offer Apple’s exclusive True Tone technology which adapts the screen brightness to the immediate environment. They are also built with a 3D touch that provides different functions based on the force applied to the screen. Though both devices are capable of delivering a wide color gamut, only iPhone X offers support for HDR and Dolby Vision.

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Camera

The iPhone 8 comes with a single 12MP camera capable of delivering crisp images and a f/1.8 aperture. It is also equipped with top-end features, including a digital 5x zoom and optical image stabilization. The iPhone X has dual cameras on the back, a wide angled f/1.8 aperture and a f/2.4 telephoto lens. These two cameras combine to deliver stunning images even in low-light conditions. The iPhone X also has an optical zoom and a digital zoom that can zoom up to 10X.

Turning to the front-facing camera, the iPhone 8 comes with a 7MP FaceTime HD camera with what Apple calls “Retina Flash.” The iPhone X comes with a new 7MP TrueDepth camera that takes those stunning shots you see with blurry backgrounds. The TrueDepth camera on the iPhone X is what “powers” the new Animoji feature and has the Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting.

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Performance

While both devices differ in many aspects, their internal specs are almost identical and so is the performance. Both iPhone X and iPhone 8 ship with Apple’s A11 Bionic chip: 6 Core GPU, 6 Core CPU, and an M11 motion processor. While the iPhone X comes with 3GB RAM, the iPhone 8 comes with 2GB RAM.

Apple claims that the internally-designed GPU in the A11 Bionic chip is 30% faster and more efficient than the imagination-based GPU in the earlier iPhone models. This should translate to better performance and less energy use.

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Price

The iPhone X starts at $999 for the 64GB model while the 256GB model is going for $1,150. The iPhone 8 starts at $699 for the 64GB model and is $849 for the 256GB model. There is a $200 price difference between the two devices, so if you are on a tight budget, you might want to consider going for the iPhone 8.

Conclusion

Both the iPhone X and iPhone 8 pack an array of attractive features that further elevates the iPhone line of gadgets. They not only feature striking looks but also come with the latest tech and greatest innovations from Apple. We hope this guide will help you make a more informed buying decision.